This disclosure relates to safety razors having a blade unit assembly carried by a handle and including at least one blade with a cutting edge which is moved across the surface of the skin being shaved using the handle. The blade unit can be detachably mounted on the razor handle to enable the blade unit to be replaced by a fresh blade unit when the blade becomes dull from use, or it may be fixedly attached to the handle with the intention that the entire razor be discarded when the blade or blades become dulled. Detachable and replaceable blade units are commonly referred to as razor cartridges.
Some conventional detachably mounted razor cartridges include an interconnect member having a pivotal support structure that pivotally supports the cartridge's blade housing, and also has a base structure adapted to be removably and fixedly attached to the head of the razor handle. The base structure typically comprises a latch mechanism which cooperates with a corresponding latch mechanism of the handle to releasably retain the interconnect on one end of the handle. The handle typically includes an ejector mechanism for interacting with the interconnect for facilitating removal of the base structure from the handle when the latch is operated to remove the razor cartridge from the handle.
Additionally, most conventional shaving razor systems have handle heads or interconnects configured to permit rotation of a replaceable razor cartridge about a pivot point. For example, some arrangements permit free rotation of the razor cartridge through a predetermined range about pins or bearings attached to the head and engaging an underside of the razor cartridge.
Some handle heads and/or interconnects spring-load or bias the pivotally mounted razor cartridge toward a neutral position, such as at or near the midpoint of the predetermined range, allowing the cartridge to be displaced away from the neutral position in one direction, and to then move back to the neutral position, using complicated spring configurations or requiring unique or specialized razor cartridges. Still other handle heads and interconnects have complex spring assemblies which extend from within the handle head to the front of the handle and contact the underside of the pivotally mounted razor cartridge to bias the cartridge to a “home” position.
Conventional razor cartridge mounting arrangements require a complex handle head, a complex razor cartridge, or both. There is a need for a simplified, inexpensive apparatus and methodology for mounting a conventional razor cartridge on a handle.